2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 3: Battle of NPFL returnees in Lafia as Nasarawa United seeks end to winless run

Posted : 21 September 2024

It will be a battle of wits between two Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) returnees in the Match Day 3 clash at the Lafia Township Stadium, as Nasarawa United FC battles the visiting El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri.

The Solid Miners are looking to earn their first win of the 2024/25 NPFL season as they rekindle their long-standing rivalry, fueled by geographic proximity and a desire for bragging rights, against El-Kanemi Warriors FC of Maiduguri on Saturday afternoon at the Lafia City Stadium.

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The two teams were relegated at the end of the 2022/23 NPFL Abridged Campaign but only spent one season in the lower league, the Nigeria National League (NNL), before gaining promotion back to the top flight after the NNL Super Eight competition in Enugu in June this year.

The Solid Miners enjoy the majority of the bragging rights against the Maiduguri-based 2024 Men's Federation Cup winners at the Lafia City Stadium and on neutral venues.

Nasarawa United defeated El-Kanemi 2-1 in the return leg of the 2023/24 NNL game at the Lafia City Stadium on Match Day 13, and went on to win 1-0 during the NNL Super Eight Play-off opener in the Northern Conference in Enugu thereafter.

Although the two teams have been engaged in a fiercely contested rivalry with vastly different histories, Nasarawa United achieved the highest league goal-scoring margin against the far northern club, thrashing them 5-1 during the 2018/19 League Season in Lafia, with Sunusi Ibrahim, now with Montreal Impact CF of Canada, scoring a brace, while Anas Yusuf, Isah Ndala, and Emmanuel Ogbole each netting once for the Solid Miners.

In the 2022/23 NPFL Abridged Campaign, United lost their first home match to El-Kanemi Warriors 1-2 at their temporary New Jos International Stadium home ground.

However, neither side remained in the elite league as both were relegated.

On neutral venues, the Solid Miners beat El-Kanemi 1-0 during the quarter-final clash of the 2018 Aiteo Federation Cup, now known as the President's Federation Cup, in Aba, Abia State, with returning right-back Kabir Balogun scoring the solitary goal in the 89th minute.

During the final of the maiden Ahlan Unity Pre-season Cup Tournament held in Kano in 2019, Nasarawa United beat El-Kanemi 1-0 to become the first side to lift the pre-season trophy.

After Friday's last training session, Nasarawa United's Technical Director, Kabir Dogo, said he is optimistic his team will deliver on Saturday's mandate.

"I am very sure we will pick up the maximum points, Insha Allah.

"We lost our first three points at home here against Shooting Stars, and you are aware of what happened in Minna against Niger Tornadoes.

"We can't afford to lose any more points.

"We are approaching tomorrow's game with vigour, enthusiasm, and a hunger for an outright win, regardless.

"We lost one of our key players, Umar Ibrahim, to an injury he sustained during our match in Minna last weekend. We pray he recovers on time to join the squad. Nonetheless, we are up to the task.

"The supporters and fans must be rewarded for their support and solidarity to us," he stated.

After two rounds of games, Nasarawa United currently sits in 11th position on the young league table, against El-Kanemi's one point, though with a game in hand.

2024/2025 NPFL Match Day 3: Battle of NPFL returnees in Lafia as Nasarawa United seeks end to winless run

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